The Detroit Pistons will kick off training camp in just a few weeks with plenty of things to sort out.
There are really only two locks for the starting lineup, so everyone else will be battling it out for spots in the rotation, roles and minutes.
Here is our training camp preview so far if you’d like to go back:
Today, we’ll take a look at the forwards, which in my opinion is the thinnest positional group for the Pistons and one they will need to upgrade before they are truly competitive.
Saddiq Bey is really the only certainty here, as the third-year forward will be in the starting five and likely be one of Detroit’s leaders in minutes as he has been in his first two seasons.
Everything else is up for grabs, as Isaiah Livers, Hamidou Diallo, Kevin Knox and Braxton Key will be fighting for roles and minutes, most likely off the bench.
Detroit Pistons training camp: First forward off the bench
Isaiah Livers vs. Hamidou Diallo
Livers can play both forward positions while Diallo is more of a two-guard and wing, so there are times when these two will play together, but others where they will be battling for who is the first forward off the bench.
Livers’ versatility and shooting clearly give him an edge here, but Diallo is in the final year of his deal and won’t go down without a fight.
They are very different players, as Livers mostly plays below the rim, is a high IQ player who is a good team defender, connector on offense and can shoot the 3-ball, a skill the Detroit Pistons desperately need.
Diallo is one of the Pistons’ best athletes, a high flyer who can get steals and finish on the other end, but has a raw offensive game in the half court and isn’t the best team defender.
Because of the way the guard rotation could shake out with Killian Hayes and Alec Burks possibly coming off the bench, Diallo could slide into the small forward spot and Livers into power forward, so they will likely play some minutes together.
But with Bey playing big minutes and the Dwane Casey using some of his bigs as power forwards, it’s more likely that one of these guys plays 20+ minutes per game and one plays closer to 10 minutes per game.
At this point, Livers has the advantage, as the Pistons need his shooting and he can play both spots, so Diallo may find himself out of the rotation entirely or playing sparingly unless he shows he can shoot.
If I had to guess, I’d say Diallo will be traded before the deadline.
Detroit Pistons training camp: Back end of the bench
Kevin Knox vs. Braxton Key
In a recent article, I played a game of Start, Bench, Cut with Livers, Knox and Diallo and it was Hamidou who ended up on the chopping block, mostly because of his lack of shot as well as his contract, which is more than Knox’s and doesn’t extend past this year.
I do think there is a world in which Knox ends up in the rotation, as he has the size to play both forward spots and has shown in the past that he can shoot, though he hasn’t done it consistently in his career.
But I also think there is a world in which he is beaten out by two-way contract Braxton Key, who has shown himself to be a versatile defender and “glue guy” who always seems to be in a position to make a play.
I really like Key’s motor and energy, and he may prove himself to be more valuable overall than Knox.
Either way, one of them is likely to get spare minutes off the bench and the other one isn’t. Knox has the early advantage, as he is on a full-time NBA contract, but if he doesn’t show improvement from his days with the Knicks, we may see Key get those minutes depending on how the final roster shakes out.
For now, they are both on a lower tier and trying to climb and it is very possible that neither of these players are in the rotation next season.
Detroit Pistons training camp: The big question at forward
I don’t think there is any doubt that the Pistons’ group of centers is more talented than the forwards, and depending on coach Casey uses them, we could see just two of these forwards in the rotation.
Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk and Marvin Bagley III can all play the power forward spot and will get a chance to do it while one of the other bigs plays center. It’s likely we’ll see Stewart and MBIII together quite a lot and Olynyk will spend time in the second unit with one of the two or Nerlens Noel or hopefully Jalen Duren.
If one of these guys shows that they can step out and hit a shot (we know Olynyk can), then Knox, Key and even Diallo might be completely shut out of the full-time rotation.
I don’t think this is an ideal situation, as Beef Stew has not yet proven he can shoot consistently, though he has shown signs. Olynyk would have a hard time defending some power forwards, and MBIII is pretty much useless outside of the paint, as he has shot just 29 percent from 3-point range and hopefully won’t be launching a lot of them next season.
But Knox, Key and Diallo aren’t much better (worse in Diallo’s case), so Detroit may decide to go with the added size and rebounding rather than more traditional forwards who simply aren’t that good.
One thing is certain, the Detroit Pistons need an upgrade at forward, as they really only have one guy who is a sure thing and then a whole lot of question marks behind him.